Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing have their sights set on distancing themselves from the rest this weekend (September 21-22) as the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship speeds into Silverstone for the penultimate meeting of the 2024 season.
Poised to take centre stage, the Worcestershire-based squad - spearheaded by Árón Taylor-Smith and Mikey Doble - sit at the top of the Independent Teams’, Independent Drivers’ and Jack Sears Trophy crowns.
As the UK’s premier motorsport series enters onto the home stretch of another action-packed campaign, the Vauxhall Astra outfit will head to Northamptonshire looking to solidify their position at the summit of the Independent Teams’ Championship.
Scoring 22 wins from 24 races, the team hold a commanding 74-point advantage over their nearest challengers and providing they leave Silverstone with a margin of more than 60 points, they’ll secure an unassailable lead in the standings.
Taylor-Smith alone has claimed no less than 17 Independent victories and it has been that exceptional strike rate that has placed him in the box seat to capture a first-ever BTCC prize in the shape of the Independent Drivers’ title.
Doble meanwhile has been the toast of the Jack Sears Trophy in his sophomore season with 14 class wins putting him within touching distance of becoming the latest driver to capture the prestigious accolade.
With both drivers focused on both individual and team laurels, Taylor-Smith and Doble will be eager to make their mark, especially as the venue yielded a podium and pole position for them respectively last year.
Qualifying at Silverstone will be broadcast on the ITV Sport YouTube channel on Saturday from 15:35 before all three races are aired LIVE on ITV4 on Sunday. Race one is scheduled to begin at 11:30 ahead of race two at 14:20 and race three at 17:10.
Árón Taylor-Smith: “Silverstone is arguably my favourite weekend of the season; the crowds are massive, hospitality is going to be packed out and for some reason it has always been a track that I’ve gone well at down the years.
“As a team I feel like we’re in a really good place so there is no reason why we can’t hit the ground running from first practice all the way through to race three. I’m excited and I’m chomping at the bit; we’ve got two rounds to go and I’m chasing that first win with the team!”
Mikey Doble: “You really only get a few chances to win the Jack Sears Trophy so to be able to add my name to what is an illustrious list of winners would mean a lot to me. It’s certainly been the target throughout the year but while we are close, nothing is guaranteed as it stands.
“I’m going to Silverstone in a confident mood and it would be great to be able to be up in the mix again; the car is certainly in a great window to do just that. We’ll just go there and try do what we’ve been doing all year.”
Martin Broadhurst, Team Manager: “While we have the opportunity to achieve something that we as a team have never done before in the BTCC, we’re still very much approaching Silverstone as if it is just another race weekend.
“Time and time again we’ve shown we can fight at the front of the grid this year and I fully expect that to continue on the National circuit. The car is well-suited to the layout and I think with the option tyre being in play, we’ll be in the mix for some big results with Árón and Mikey.”
Adam Weaver, Team Principal: “Silverstone has been a happy hunting ground for us in the past so the hope is that we can make it another weekend to remember for everyone in the team and the many guests that we have joining us.
“Being on the fringe of provisionally wrapping up both Independent titles and the Jack Sears Trophy is exciting but our target first and foremost is to qualify well and then bring home the best results possible. If we do that to the level we’re capable of, the rest will follow.”
